HS Code 2504Graphite; natural

HS code 2504 at a glance: natural graphite

If you ship or buy natural graphite, this is the heading customs officers look for. It sits in the part of the tariff that groups goods taken from the ground, so it belongs with other minerals in the wider Chapter 25 list.

Most people search for it the other way round, as natural graphite HS code. Both phrases point to the same heading.

The word natural matters. This heading is about graphite in its natural state. It is the place to start when a product description says natural graphite, graphite powder or flake graphite.

Sellers and buyers should write the full eight-digit or ten-digit national code on their papers, since each country adds its own digits after the first six. The first six digits are the same in every country that uses the Harmonized System.

How to choose between 250410 and 250490

The split between the two codes is about physical form. Nothing else separates them in the official wording.

Use 250410 when the natural graphite is in powder or in flakes. This is the code to check for graphite powder and for flake graphite.

Use 250490 when the natural graphite is in any other form. The wording says "excluding powder or flakes", so a product that is not a powder and not a flake falls here.

A simple test helps. Ask whether the goods are fine powder or thin flakes. If yes, look at 250410. If no, look at 250490.

• 250410: natural graphite, in powder or in flakes
• 250490: natural graphite, in other forms, excluding powder or flakes

Headings near 2504 and how they differ

Several nearby headings cover other minerals. Mixing them up is a common cause of wrong filings, so it helps to know what each one is for.

Heading 2503 is sulphur. Heading 2505 is natural sands. Heading 2525 is mica, including splittings and mica waste. Heading 2526 is natural steatite and talc.

Heading 2530 is a catch-all for mineral substances not elsewhere specified or included. Do not use it for natural graphite, because graphite already has its own heading, 2504.

If you are not sure which heading fits your goods, try the HS code classifier. You can also go back to the chapter page to browse every heading in the group.

Who imports and exports natural graphite?

A code tells you what a product is. It does not tell you who trades it. For that you need shipment records.

EximDataX shows shipment-level import and export records from official customs sources. Coverage: 43 direct customs feeds plus 184 mirror-derived countries. Named buyers and named suppliers are available in 38 of the 43 direct markets. Most markets refresh weekly and some refresh daily.

You can search by HS code to see who imports and exports a product, and book a free demo. Start with 2504 to find natural graphite buyers and natural graphite suppliers, then narrow your search to 250410 or 250490 if you only deal in one form.